NBA Prediction: The Boston Celtics Will Lose to the Los Angeles Clippers

Note: The original article was written and published hours before the game tip-off. For some reason the article was deleted, perhaps by accident, so this is a re-post.

There, I said it.

The Boston Celtics will play the Los Angeles Clippers at home, at the TD Garden, on Wednesday, March 9.

This is the second and final meeting between these two teams in the regular season, with the first game having been played on February 26 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The Celtics won that game against the Clippers by the score of 99-92.

Going into this game, the Clippers have won three games in a row against quality teams like the Houston Rockets and the Denver Nuggets.

The Celtics are on a five-game winning streak themselves, and playing some of their best basketball all season.

So, the natural inclination for most pundits would be to predict a Celtics victory—given their recent brilliant play and their much stronger record.

However, those who take this easy and obvious route are missing one major point.

The Los Angeles Clippers are a hungrier basketball team than the Boston Celtics.

Despite losing their leading scorer, Eric Gordon, to another wrist injury, the Clippers still have enough players to give the Celtics a shocking defeat.

Though the game won't be a blow-out, expect the Clippers to withstand the Celtics' legendary resolve to win at Boston and tie up the season series.

If the Celtics can keep their nucleus and winning ways together for the next few seasons, tonight's game might even be a future NBA Finals preview when the Clippers blossom into an elite team lead by superstar and future Hall of Famer, Blake Griffin, Gordon and center DeAndre Jordan.

Here's another bold NBA prediction, this one with regards to the Miami Heat, "The Los Angeles Lakers Will Lose To the Heat on March 10."

Despite the prediction, here's a look at "The One Reason The Miami Heat Have Been Losing."

When the prediction comes true, "NBA Finals: How the Miami Heat Will Challenge the LA Lakers for the NBA Title."

In looking at one of the key match-ups in the game, "Squeeze the Charmin: Who's Softer, C-Bosh or Pau 'Gasoft'?"

The Lakers should take a page out of the Heat's losing book as "Kobe And The Lakers Would Be Foolish To Chase Jordan's Bulls Record."

Perhaps their only advantage against the Heat, "Is Andrew Bynum The Lakers' Future Franchise Player?"

In looking at the big picture, "Should Lakers Fans Root for the Miami Heat?"